President Barack Obama’s entreaties to “buy American” to improve the economy apparently doesn’t include the fleet of new Marine One helicopters he’ll soon be shuttled around in.
The Pentagon is spending $11.2 billion for 23 European-designed, British-built helicopters to replace the aging squadron of American aircraft used by American presidents for the past 30 years.
Critics of the presidential purchase claim the contract for the new Lockheed Martin “US101” variant of the Italian choppers violates a decades-old law that requires weapons systems and components used by the U.S. military to be made primarily in the United States.
President Herbert Hoover signed the act into law in 1933 to ensure the United States government would use American made products whenever possible. The law has largely been circumvented by so-called “Memorandums of Understanding” to waive implementation of the law until now, Carter said. Read More
Well so much for buy American made!
Leak Gives Marine One Helicopter Details to Iran
A file-sharing glitch reportedly has put engineering, cost and communications details about President Barack Obama’s Marine One helicopter in the hands of Tehran.
NBC affiliate WPXI in Pittsburgh reported Saturday that a Pennsylvania–based security company called Tiversa uncovered the classified information at an IP address in Iran’s capital city.
The CEO of Tiversa, Bob Boback told the TV station, “We found a file containing entire blueprints and avionics package for Marine One, which is the president’s helicopter.”
Tiversa consultant, retired General Wesley Clark advised that the company had located the individual computer and employee that left the information vulnerable.
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This government of ours isn’t doing such a great job now is it? I guess thats what Obama gets for mouthing back at John McCain last week about he didn’t need a new helicopter! Also people do you see by not buying America made we are losing jobs overseas?
